The idea of stress, specifically how we think about it and how we cope with it, has been coming up in research or conversations lately. So I thought I'd share some brief thoughts with you because let's face it, stress is a fact of life. We cannot always avoid it, so we would be wasting our time and energy if we thought we had to remove stress in order to be happy. Instead, here's some alternative food for thought.

How we think about stress matters. Research has shown that when we see stress as beneficial to our performance and our health, it changes our body's reaction to stress. Among a group surveyed, those who reported a lot of stress and believed stress is harmful to their health had a 43% increased risk of premature death.1

Check out this TED talkfor further explanation and tips for how to make stress your friend.

How plant-based whole foods help us cope with stress

The saying, you are what you eat, is true, and the food-mood connection is real. Having brain fog and suffering from mood swings can affect our clarity, motivation, and how we perceive stress in our everyday lives. But we have learned from research that getting enough essential nutrients, many of which are found in plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, etc. can affect the chemicals in our brain that control mood and have been linked to preventing depression.2,3 Plus it makes sense that simply knowing we are taking care of ourselves by our food choices can improve mood.3

Along that note, I
wanted to share what I consider a mood-boosting salad. It's the deepest
midnight purple salad you'll have and it offers a flavor-packed playful
contrast of earthy and sweet roasted beets, crunchy red cabbage, chewy black
rice and toasted walnuts. A bright, tangy vinaigrette brings it all together,
and if you have it on hand, some creamy goat cheese is not out of place here.

Roasted Beet and Black Rice SaladServes 4-6

1 cup black rice (soaked 6-8 hrs, preferably)

1 large beet

1 very small head red cabbage

1-2 spring onions, thinly sliced on a diagonal

1 red chili, sliced on a diagonal (optional)

Walnuts, toasted

Whole-grain mustard vinaigrette (recipe below)

Goat cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 F (232 C)

In a medium saucepan add black rice (rinsed/drained if soaked), 1 1/4 cups water (1 3/4 cups water if rice was not soaked), and a few pinches salt. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer until rice is cooked and water has absorbed (15-20 minutes, 30 minutes if rice was not soaked).

Roast Beets: Rinse beet well, cut in half, then into 1/2 inch wedges, divide among 2-3 large pieces of foil, wrap foil around beets, and crimp edges to make a closed packet. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, or until beets are tender. Open foil packets, cool slightly, then peel skin away and cut beets into chunks.

Add shaved cabbage to a large serving bowl and pour in a few tablespoons of vinaigrette. Massage vinaigrette into cabbage until it just starts to break down (15 seconds). Add black rice, beets, spring onions, chili (if using), walnuts, and a few pinches of salt. Pour over enough vinaigrette to coat (pass the rest at the table), toss everything together, top with goats cheese if using, and serve.

Whole-Grain Mustard Vinaigrette

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp whole grain mustard (or Dijon)

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. honey

Juice from 1/2 lime

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Scant 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cayenne

Scant 1/2 tsp. salt + freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Add all ingredients to a small jar with lid. Screw on lid and shake vigorously until well mixed. Alternatively mix well in a small bowl.

I'm Katie, an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach in Marin County and the San Francisco Bay Area. Whole Nourishment is a space where you'll find inspiration to cook simple, plant-forward, whole food meals and live well! Get started.

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